Helldivers 2 Receives Mysterious Steam Update: “gameplay_illuminates” – Real Deal or Epic Arrowhead Prank?

It feels like we’ve been tossing around the idea of Helldivers 2 getting its third faction, namely the Illuminate from the first game, for ages now. But today, a glimmer of hope appears on the horizon, thanks to a recent update on Steam titled, rather intriguingly, “gameplay_illuminates.”

I’m serious here. Arrowhead, the game’s developer, seems to have made a move akin to labeling something as blunt as “Democracy Space Station.” This update has naturally sparked a wave of speculation among fans who’ve long anticipated the arrival of this faction, reminiscent of discussions when Meridia got spaghetti-fied.

According to a diligent user on the Helldivers 2 subreddit, Dangerous-Return5937, SteamDB shows that the game received a depot update bearing the name “gameplay_illuminates.” Unfortunately, there’s no concrete information detailing what this update signifies—whether it’s indeed introducing the Illuminate or when they might appear in the game.

The name, sitting out in the open for anyone online to see, doesn’t even qualify as a leak by some definitions. As expected, the player community is divided. Enthusiasts are buzzing with excitement, some are adopting a “wait and see” attitude, and others are simply puzzled.

Critics of the name have expressed it odd that if this update is about the Illuminate, Arrowhead would choose such a straightforward title. After all, the developer has previously used cryptic names like “mimosa,” “orion,” and “wushu” for updates, which didn’t immediately stir the pot of player speculation.

One moderator on the subreddit even mentioned, “If anything, Arrowhead is kinda asking for it by naming the depot update that way.” Meanwhile, a section of the community suspects this might be the studio’s idea of a cheeky trick. “Can’t wait for it to just be about lighting updates and everyone getting fooled,” joked another player.

For now, it might be wise to keep the excitement in check. Even if this hints at the Illuminates, it doesn’t guarantee they’ll be making a grand entrance anytime soon. Still, we’re all ears on your thoughts about this curious saga—drop them below!